API Proper pH 7.0 240g

API Proper pH 7.0 240g

API Proper pH 7.0 is a powder pH buffer and water conditioner that sets and holds the pH at 7.0 in tropical community aquariums. It also treats tap water by removing chlorine and neutralising chloramines, so it suits freshwater fishkeepers who want a stable, neutral pH from a single 240 g (8.5 oz) pack.

Key Benefits

• Easily sets and maintains a neutral pH of 7.0 in tropical community aquariums.
• Removes chlorine and neutralises chloramines, making tap water safe for fish.
• Works as a dechlorinator as well as a buffer, so no additional dechlorinator is needed when you treat water with it.
• Provides essential electrolytes to support overall fish health.
• Detoxifies heavy metals in aquarium water.
• A phosphate buffer, a type that is non-toxic to fish and locks in the pH for extended periods.

Understanding pH

pH measures how acidic or alkaline water is. A value of 7.0 is neutral, values above 7.0 are alkaline and values below 7.0 are acidic. Different fish need different pH levels to stay healthy, so test your water regularly to confirm the pH sits where it should. If your water does not test at the level you want, API Proper pH 7.0 adjusts the pH and holds it there.

How to Use

• Use it when setting up a new aquarium, or whenever you perform a water change.
• Test the aquarium water to check the current pH before dosing.
• Add the powder to the aquarium water at the dose below.
• Keep testing regularly. Dose again when a test shows the pH has changed by more than 0.2.
• Do not use it in aquariums containing live plants.

Dosage

• Add 1 scoop for every 10 gallons of aquarium water.
• Repeat the dose when a pH test indicates a change of more than 0.2.
• One dose normally sets the pH. Some tap water is very hard or alkaline and strongly buffered at pH 8.0 or higher. In that case two doses may be needed to overcome the natural buffers and reach a suitable level, and it may be advisable to soften the water first.

Suitable For

• Communities of tropical freshwater fish, which is where it works best.
• Aquarists setting up a new tank or doing routine water changes who want a neutral pH of 7.0.
• Fishkeepers whose tap water tests away from the pH they want.
• Aquariums with invertebrates. The powder is safe with them.

Compatibility

• Live plants: not recommended. The phosphate buffers in the Proper pH 6.5, 7.0 and 7.5 powders bind to some trace elements that live plants need as nutrients.
• Algae: these phosphate buffers combine with essential trace elements such as iron, causing nutrient deficiencies. They should not be used in aquariums where algal growth is desirable.
• Cloudy water: the powder can cloud the water when used in water with high hardness. Hardness minerals come out of solution, and this cloudiness is harmless. It usually settles on its own in 24-48 hours, and API Accu-Clear water clarifier may be used to improve it. To avoid hazy water, reduce hardness to 100 ppm CaCO3.
• KH readings: Proper pH 6.5, 7.0 and 7.5 contain no carbonate hardness but will cause a spike in KH as measured with KH test kits. These kits acidify the water sample drop by drop until a colour change (the "end point") shows the KH level. Phosphate buffers strongly resist pH change, so they are measured just like bicarbonate and carbonate buffers. By comparison, Proper pH 8.2 is a bicarbonate and carbonate buffer that contains no phosphate and directly increases carbonate hardness.

Specifications

• Target pH: 7.0
• Buffer type: phosphate buffer
• Form: powder
• Functions: pH buffer, dechlorinator, chloramine neutraliser, electrolyte provider, heavy metal detoxifier
• Dose rate: 1 scoop per 10 gallons
• Pack size: 240 g (8.5 oz)

What's Included

• One 240 g (8.5 oz) pack of pH 7.0 buffer powder

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still need a separate dechlorinator?
No. The powder sets the pH at a particular level and also works as a dechlorinator, so no additional dechlorinator is needed when you treat water with it.

My water went cloudy after dosing. Is it safe for my fish?
Yes, the cloudiness is harmless. It happens in hard water when hardness minerals come out of solution, and it usually settles in 24-48 hours. A water clarifier such as API Accu-Clear can help, and reducing hardness to 100 ppm CaCO3 helps avoid it.

Why is my pH still high after one dose?
Some tap water is very hard or alkaline and strongly buffered at pH 8.0 or higher. Two doses may be needed to overcome those natural buffers, and softening the water first may be advisable.

Can I use it in a planted tank?
It is not recommended. The phosphate buffers in Proper pH 6.5, 7.0 and 7.5 bind to trace elements that live plants need. It is safe with invertebrates.

Will it cause algae growth?
No. The phosphate buffers combine with trace elements such as iron and cause nutrient deficiencies. They should not be used where algal growth is wanted.

Why did my KH reading go up?
This powder contains no carbonate hardness, but phosphate buffers resist pH change strongly and register on KH test kits just like carbonate buffers. You will see a higher KH measurement after dosing.

When can I expect delivery?

• Gauteng (Jhb/Pta) - 1-3 working days
• Nationwide (Cpt/Dbn+) - 2-5 working days
• Outlying Areas - 3-7 working days

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